The University of Florida’s Center for African Studies is pleased to announce the publication of the 2024 edition of TEACH AFRICA: TAKING AFRICA TO THE CLASSROOM! This latest publication includes articles researched and written by K-12 teachers who participated in our 2022 and 2023 Summer Institutes. This publication aims to promote Africa’s dynamic teachings, including the contemporary perspectives within arts, history, culture, and literature. Educators nationwide can access the lesson plans and find creative ideas for teaching about Africa.
This year’s theme, “Africans in the Media: New Wave of Influencers, New Voices Fighting for Change,” highlights the continent’s variety of perspectives, including the youth, their role, and impact. Our cover photo of South African youth fighting for climate change perfectly captures our theme with their banner: “Try to Leave the Earth a Better Place than When you Arrived.” Two standout articles delve into the influence of African voices on global social justice conversations: “African Youth: The Voices that Matter!” and “600 Million Following: A New Wave of African Influencers.”
We have interesting articles which portray the misperceptions of the continent including one which explores teachers’ perceptions in “Views of Africa in the United States: Exploring the Gaps in the U.S. Media and Education Systems.” This examines how the American education system misrepresents Africa and the role of educators in recognizing their bias and seeking the truth. This is a profound article which explores the gaps in the knowledge of Africa from a teacher’s perspective.
To assist teachers in teaching African history creatively we have an article which explores “Making African History Alive through Instagram” based on Equiano Stories. Further, we explore how to build a diverse classroom library through the article: Creating a Learning Environment that Honors African Cultures.” This is amplified by: “The Importance of African Proverbs”, “The Art of Storytelling: Contemporary African Women Artists” and the “Significance of the Sycamore Fig Tree and the Voice of the Woman.”
We explore the contemporary status of women in: “African Countries Lead the Way with Women in Positions of Power” and “Economic Impact of Women Entrepreneurs in Botswana.” Both articles also explore some misinformed perceptions of Africa. For a cultural perspective on African beauty, we explore: “Feminine Beauty: Sowei Mask a Mask Made by Men for Women.” In this publication we also offer an in-depth exploration of Yoruba Culture and religion: “Experiencing and Explaining Life Through the Lens of Yoruba’s Orisha” and “Resilience Embodied: the Yoruba & the Yoruba Diaspora.”
Lastly, we capture the diverse and beautiful music of Africa through “Musical Instruments of Africa” and “Contemporary African Music.” Like all the articles this includes a lesson plan section: “Bringing African Music in the Classroom!”
This is indeed a rich and diverse collection of articles. Please feel free to use these articles in your teaching. You may access our current Teach Africa publication by using the link below.
Please email us to get your free copies: Communications@africa.ufl.edu
Enjoy our 2024 Teach Africa: Taking Africa to the Classroom!
Agnes Ngoma Leslie, Ph.D.
Editor
Latest Issue
Articles include:
Views of Africa in the United States: Exploring the Gaps in the U.S. Media and Education Systems
Kevin Vernon
Exploring Major Cities in the Five Regions of Africa
Shilah Carroll
600 Million Following: A New Wave of African Influencers
Marilynn Anderson
All People are People: Historical Empathy via Technology, Making African History Alive Through Instagram
Carrie Geiger, Ed.D
Creating a Learning Environment that Honors African Cultures
Dr. Carrie Wells
African Countries Lead the Way with Women in Positions of Power
Angie Perchalla
Economic Impact of Women Entrepreneurs in Botswana
DeAndréa Johnson
African Youth: The Voices That Matter!
Charlotte Henry
Feminine Beauty: Sowei Mask
Jillian Blazas
The Importance of African Proverbs
Hattie Petty
Musical Instruments of Africa
Carolyn Turner
Contemporary African Music
James DeRemer
Experiencing and Explaining Life Through the Lens of Yoruba’s Orisha
Chad Holloway
Resilience Embodied: The Yoruba & the Yoruba Diaspora
Kevin Kelsey
The Significance of the Sycamore Fig Tree and The Voice of the Woman
Katrece Freeman-Boyd
The Art of Storytelling: Contemporary African Women Artists
Dr. Karen Wallace